The end of World War II was a popular theme among American medalists. The obverse side of Rene Paul Chambellan’s medal re-creates the famous photograph of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Iwo Jima, first taken on February 23, 1945, by Marine Corps photographer Sergeant Lou Lowery. The reverse shows an unsheathed sword with the legend “For conquer we must,” excerpted from the Star Spangled Banner.